Welcome.
When the season of winter arrives,
We may find ourselves being indoors more often.
The days are darker,
Shorter,
Colder.
We are less exposed to the sunlight.
And alongside the darker months,
We are also constantly working,
Struggling to find time to relax and to truly nourish our bodies and our minds.
And so the winter can make it difficult for us to remain positive.
It can make us more prone to experiencing restlessness,
Anxiety,
And stress.
And so the goal of this meditation is to help to put a more positive outlook on the more undesired parts of our situation.
And then help us to overcome them through both acceptance and simple solutions.
So to begin,
Settle yourself into a nice and comfortable position.
You may sit on a chair,
A cushion,
Or the floor,
Whichever way feels most comfortable for you.
Just finding a posture that is relaxed yet alert.
And when you are ready,
Close your eyes.
And take a nice,
Relaxing breath in through your nose and a long,
Slow breath out through your mouth.
And again,
A nice,
Long,
Deep breath in through your nose and a slow,
Gradual breath out through your mouth.
Nice and steady.
And one more time,
A long,
Deep breath in and a slow,
Refreshing breath out.
Empty your lungs.
Release the air fully.
Relax.
Let go of your breath now and allow it to flow as effortlessly as possible.
Allow your breath to be comfortable here and begin to take notice of your body and of the space you are in.
Make any observation of how you are feeling.
Notice the temperature of the room,
Whether it is light or dark.
And as you continue to observe,
Allow your breath to settle into a comfortable breathing pattern.
And on your next in breath,
Repeat breathing in,
I feel my breath.
And on the out breath,
Repeat breathing out,
I relax.
And just take a moment now to gently repeat these phrases to yourself as you continue to take a gentle breath.
As you fall deeper into your relaxation,
Remember that any small distraction or minor discomfort is simply an observation.
Whenever you feel like your mind has strayed,
You can always return your attention back to the breath,
Back to the present moment.
And now sitting still comfortably,
Calmly,
Allow yourself to imagine a perfect place.
And this place can be real,
Or it can be imaginary.
Just take a moment to bring this perfect place into mind.
See what is there.
Maybe it's a warm,
Sunny beach with the calming sounds of the waves,
The soft sand under your feet.
Or maybe you're walking along a forest path.
And the sun is shining on your face through the trees overhead.
Birds are singing their sweet songs.
And you can smell the fresh scent of pine and wildflowers.
And wherever you may take yourself,
Just allow yourself to stay there for a moment.
Breathing gently,
Calmly.
And as you continue to take relaxing breaths,
Imagining yourself in this beautiful and peaceful place,
Right in the here and now,
We will do a countdown.
Repeating after me in whatever way you wish,
Either out loud or in your mind.
And we will count down from five to one.
So when you are ready,
Five,
Perfect,
Peaceful place.
Four,
Bright and beautiful.
Three,
Calming the mind and the body.
Two,
Enjoying this present moment.
One,
Peaceful and serene.
And ever so perfectly,
Continuing to breathe calmly and gently.
Let us repeat this countdown one more time when you are ready.
Five,
A perfect,
Peaceful place.
Four,
Bright and beautiful.
Three,
Calming the body and the mind.
Two,
Enjoying this present moment.
One,
Peaceful and serene.
Know that you can always return to your perfect place whenever you wish,
Whenever you ground yourself to the present moment and tap into the part of you that is always so peaceful and calm.
Unrecognize that we may not always have the perfect surroundings,
But our mind is a powerful tool that can help us return to a place that allows us to embrace our most pleasant thoughts,
To feel more positive and to experience calm.
And as this practice comes to an end,
You may either return to your beautiful and peaceful place and stay there for as long as you wish,
Or you may return back to full wakefulness.
Return to your physical body and begin to stretch gently,
Maybe wiggling your toes and your fingers.
Move your head from side to side.
And when you are ready,
Open your eyes.
